Kiss of Light
by PrincessHayLin
Summary: When Anna learns she is moving to California, everything seems to be hankydory. That is, until she meets a mysterious ghost that seems to know more about her past then he is letting on. Anna must discover a past that could change her life forever
1. Saying Goodbye

**A/N: Hey everybody! This is chapter one of my first Mediator Fan Fiction, "Kiss of Light". Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters from the Mediator Series (Like Suze, Jess etc) They belong to Meg Cabot. But I do own the characters that were never mentioned in the book series. They are mine to toy with. **

**Story Summary: When Anna learns she is moving to California, everything seems to be hanky-dory. That is, until she meets a mysterious ghost that seems to know more about her past then he is letting on. Who is this ghost and why does he know so much about Anna? Anna must learn to face her fears and discover the hidden past that could change her life forever. Rated T for Language, sexual content, and violence. **

**Chapter one:**

I can't remember the exact reaction I had after hearing I was about to move to California. But I knew for one thing, I wasn't happy. What girl could be happy about moving to Carmel Valley after having lived the first sixteen years of her life in the country side? Let me tell you how I felt about the situation. It sucked, big time and not just because I was leaving my friends and most of my family behind, but I also had to break up with my long time boyfriend.

Jack, the man who'd given me all of his affection, was fuming for weeks on end after I'd told him I was going to live with my uncle. What can I say? The poor guy's been in love with me since the fifth grade and now I just up and leave for California without any explanation as to why. I can understand why he's so upset. Now, after being in a relationship for more then 2 years, I don't even bother to tell him the real reason to why I was leaving him for the coast.

It was really for his own good. If I'd told him, he wouldn't believe me. Oh, I know he'd try to believe but deep down he wouldn't understand it at all. I barely even understood it and that was why I was moving to Cali. I had known for a long time too; well okay… a year and a half. But how does a girl deal with the fact that she can see dead people.

Yes, you read that correctly. I see, hear, feel and talk to dead people.

I have had this "gift" since well, I was born, but for so many years I thought I was a mental case.

For so many years I'd stay awake at night, thinking… well, fearing the next time I'd see them, the dead people. I tried to ignore them most of the time. They'd come to me, I'd close my eyes, cover my ears, and pray they'd leave me alone. They'd usually disappear by the time my eyes flickered back open. But some never left without having a little chat first.

They'd haunt me for a long period of time before they'd finally give up hope in finding help from me. They all asked the some question too, "Will you do me a favor?" Give me a break; I was like five at the time when I first started talking to the ghosts. Now, they expected me to help them?

Sometimes they were small tasks, minor things that I'd do happily hoping they'd leave once the job was done. But many of them were violent and wanted their murders solved. I'm just a girl not Angela Lansbury, star to "Murder she wrote".

Everything from then on became confusing, my social life, my love life, and well, my after life.

There was but one single box left in my empty room. It was full of things Jack had given me over the past few years. I don't know why I kept everything. Maybe it was because I'm really sentimental but whatever.

A pressed flower in a book of poems written only for my eyes to read, his jean jacket that had frayed in several spots, letters he'd sent to me over his summer in Cancun and many other things symbolic to his love was packed tightly in the confines of the small card board box. I'd miss him. I knew I would but we were growing apart, it was true. There wasn't _love_ left in our relationship.

Now, he made it seem as if I hadn't given him what he wanted. Yes, I gave him _almost_ everything but, he always talked about how we barely ever kissed and how I never let him touch me anymore. I was one confused girl, let me tell you. Here was a guy, giving me everything I could have ever wanted in a loving relationship and yet, I was unwilling to give him my heart in return.

I didn't really know why I was so stubborn. The first time we kissed, there were fireworks and my heart beat fastened every time I saw him. I had love for him then. Then suddenly, something changed inside of me. Like, I _shouldn't_ love him.

I took his jean jacket from the box and put it on over my black "country girl" tank. I stood up and cradled the box out of my room. Sadly, I turned back to the desolate room. I pictured my twin size bed sitting by my window. I remembered times when I would sit up at night, gazing though the glass at the bright stars dancing up in the midnight sky. I doubted I'd ever see them so clearly in California.

Once life had been simple here but now, I was being tossed into a tide pool full of miseries.

I walked along the hallway. My father was waiting by the car for me and I didn't want to keep him waiting. I wasn't quite looking where I was going when I stumbled and fell against something... or someone.

The box dropped from my grasp, landing on the carpet floor with a thud. I felt warm hands creep up my back and a light breathe tickling my cheeks. My whole body tensed was I was pressed against this stranger's hard body.

I felt a shiver run up my spine to meet the cold sweat that consumed my neck.

"Anna."

I looked up at the sound of my name being spoken with such a passion. Two green eyes stared back at me, boring into me like cupid's arrow. His voice sunk deep into my skin and I begin to melt.

"Jack." I replied my voice unsteady and my hands shaking in his grasp.

"Did you really think I'd let you leave without saying goodbye first?" he reached up one hand and gently grabbed my neck. I willingly let him pull me closer. It didn't come as a surprise to me when I felt his lips brush up against my own.

I didn't feel anything, nothing like I used to feel. There were no fireworks, no quick heart beating or a light headed feeling. Nothing.

He pulled away quickly realizing how much he was giving into the kiss and how little I was returning. I didn't dare look at him, so I turned my gaze to the box that was now turned over on the floor, all of its contents spilled out around us. The rose petals were spread before my feet. Why had I kept those stupid things anyway? They were now just a reminder of how I was breaking Jack's heart. Damn my unforgivable actions.

I went down on my knees and started to pick up the soft petals. I could feel Jack hanging over me, watching my every move as I placed everything back where they belonged.

Jack took my hand, helping me stand once again. He looked into my eyes, the portals into my soul. His own were filled with hurt and pain, while mine teemed with regret.

"Why don't you love me anymore Anna?" he asked, trying to seem as calm as he possibly could.

"I never said I didn't love you anymore." I hated the lie the moment it escaped from my lips. It left like acid burning into my heart.

"Don't give me that. I can see it in your eyes." His voice sounded different, so strange from the voice of the farm boy I had once known.

I looked away from him. Silently, I begged him not to make me look at him. But it was too late. He took my chin with his thumb and index finger. My eyes caught his. I studied him, now that we were so close. I noted that his dirty blonde hair was slightly tossed in front of his eyes; I saw his arms, strong, built from a long life of working on a farm. His chest was raising and falling in unison with the drumming of his heart against his chest, that might I add, was decked with a nice pair of six pack abs. Why didn't I love him anymore?

"Please, just tell me. Why now? Is it because you are moving? If that's it, then you need not worry. All I have to do is get my parents to agree and then I can move in with family over on the west coast and..."

"Stop it Jack." I said as I pressed my palms up against his chest. He moved his arms around my waist and gave me a rather forced smile. "You know you can tell me if something's bothering you. I know you better then I know myself even. I can always tell when you are upset." I sighed.

This is what I get for spilling my feelings out to him on the phone every night.

Unintentionally, my head fell against his chest and my arms wrapped around his neck. It was like I was reliving a past event and it wasn't me.

"I'm just upset about this whole moving-across-the-country thing. I don't want to leave everything here behind that I once loved. Like the farm, school, Mr. Riverez, our little pond, the…" I didn't get to finish for the next thing I knew, Jack was leaving a trail of kisses down my neck.

Okay, I will admit, he is one _amazing_ kisser. I mean it. Such things as this, made me question my reasons for leaving good old Oklahoma.

I moaned, closed my eyes, and combed my fingers through his hair.

"Oh Jack." I giggled.

I knew I really shouldn't have been toying with his emotions but just the way he kissed me made me over think my decision about the "I don't love Jack anymore" thing.

"Oh get a room".

I opened my eyes quickly. Jack removed his lips from my collarbone and spun around to see who our intruder was.

It was my older brother, Stephen. He was eighteen and felt it was his responsibility to always reunion any romantic moment I might be taking part in. That's why Jack and I were never able to become the least bit intimate in our relationship, not that we wanted to me _too _intimate anyway. We both shared the same "save it for marriage" values. But even a little make-out session was rudely interrupted by the big bad wolf.

"What do you want Stephen?" I groaned as I straightened up my tank top to make sure I didn't look too much like I'd just had a guy giving me hickies.

Stephen chuckled as he walked our way. He was dirty, no doubt from helping my father in the fields. Sweat rolled off his forehead and glistened in his brown hair.

"You two are truly pathetic." He said smirking.

At that moment, I wanted nothing more then to kick him, just a little below his stomach but I fought back the urge, only to say "Shut up" as my come back.

Jack frowned. I knew he saw my expression, the one that showed I was yet again just the least bit revealed that we had been quickly interrupted. But actually… the more Jack kissed me, the harder I found it to pull away. Don't get me wrong. I'm no slut who lives off boy toys. But his kisses just made me want him more an more.

Jack then leaned down and took up the box in his hands, giving it back to me.

"Just promise you'll keep these things. Don't completely forget about me after all the surfer guys in California start asking you out." He simply smiled and walked past my brother toward the door.

My feet stayed glued to the ground but I forced them forward and ran towards him. "Jack!" I called as I ran swiftly to his side.

The sun blazed from above and the vast horizon lay before me. Endless miles of farm land.

I turned my attention back on Jack. I grabbed his strong arm and a pleasurable feeling filled my veins. In a flash another face occupied Jack's profile. I shook away the image of the man and Jake's tan face returned. I felt his beautiful eyes upon me but I didn't sense his smile but a faded expression.

"Don't make this more difficult Anna."

Jack yanked his arm away. I felt the stab of rejection but I fought back and quickly reached up. I brought his head down to meet mine, since he was a good head taller then I was.

"I promise I'll call you the moment I get to Carmel. Okay?"

He shrugged, not looking me straight in the eyes.

Oh here it was the grade finale to my web of lies.

"I love you Jack." I whispered and kissed his cheek.

He didn't react the way I'd expected and pulled away from me, walking sadly toward his car. He turned his keys in the ignition and was off. What a way to say good bye…

Stephen took the box from my hands and threw it into the moving truck.

"Let's go Anna!" I heard my father yell from his pick up truck. I'd placed my backpack by the front door and so I retreated quickly and swung it over my back. It was heavy but I managed.

As I headed into the car with my father, Rick Johnson, I took one finally look at my home, the two story house that I'd lived in for sixteen years. I was going to miss all those mornings of walking up and hearing the rooster calling the sun to rise. But I had the beautiful shores of California to look forward to now.

My father was the all around country man. He wore a button down jean shirt that had been stained with paint on the sleeves and bleached on the collar. His gray eyes were always half closed, probably from lack of sleep.

Stephen walked out of the house and waved.

"Have fun in California! Send me a postcard." He shouted before heading back into the house.

He just happened to schedule a hot date that night and had to spend hours in his room "preparing". What a brother he was? He'd rather go on a date then say good bye to his sister as she took off for another part of the country.

Our car slowly pulled out of the drive way, dust rolled behind us. I sighed, realizing I might never come back to this place.

The thing was I was going to live in California alone with my uncle Mark. My mother and father had to stay behind because of their jobs and the farm. But I, I _had_ to go. This whole seeing-ghosts-every-time-I-turn-around thing drove them off the wall. They thought if I moved in with my uncle away from what they called "my bad memories" her in Oklahoma, maybe I'd be better off.

My memories, they said, were dark. They said when I was fourteen I was in a coma for months and no one could wake me. I didn't even remember anything from my fourteenth year of life. Of course I remembered 13, 12, 11, etc. But I just didn't remember anything about 14. Supposedly that was when Jack and I had gotten really serious, but… I didn't get it. They said that when I woke up, I didn't know who I was, but slowly, I began to remember things. But something else came, other memories.

Those memories were, according to my doctor and family, never supposed to be there. Like as if they weren't my own at all. Even though Jack had been the only boy to ever love me, the thing was, the memories were of another. Don't ask me why but I remembered _being _with someone else, even though I had never been.

That's what first drove my parents to believe I was crazy.

Really, I don't blame them. I couldn't exactly control the memories. They'd just come suddenly and when they did, I'd tell someone about them. I thought they were only day dreams but people acted all panicked and told me forget it. But… I couldn't forget the memories. I just couldn't.

Our farm was very far away from any form of civilization and it took quite a long time for us to reach the airport. The small moving truck with all my stuff packed inside trailed behind us. It would eventually break off to the highway where it would go straight to Carmel. The moving men said I should receive my things in at least two days from my arrival. That meant I would have to bring a small suit case with me on the plane so I wouldn't be left naked without anything to wear.

My father's car pulled into the airport parking lot. I looked up and saw a plane fly past us. "Here we are kiddo, got your stuff?" I nodded as I took my green suit case from the back of the truck. It was early in the day so not too many people were there. We went inside the terminal, my ticket clutched in my hand. "Anna!" I turned to see my mother running toward me, her red hair tied up in a bun. She had promised to meet us before I left, since her job was in town. She was a travel agent.

As she came closer, I could see where her mascara had smudged from crying. Oh gee, mothers…

She wrapped her arms around me; more tears broke through her closed eye lids.

"I'm going to miss you so much sweetie." She said sobbing.

"Mom, I'll be alright. What could happen?" I asked as I smiled up at her.

My mother turned to her husband with a wary look on her face.

"Don't worry Katherine. She's a smart girl. She'll do fine." My father reassured her as he too pulled me into a warm embrace.

"Thanks dad." I said. Parents can be so emotional sometimes.

"Flight to Carmel, California is now ready for departure." The announcement overhead rang through my ears. Freedom called. I waved good bye to my parents, leaving them in tears.

"Call us as soon as you land." My mother's voice trailed off as the stewardess closed the door behind me.

Cautiously, I pushed my way through the crowds of people, trying to get comfortable. Finally, I reached my seat. An old man sat next to me. He was passed out cold, a trail of saliva hang out from his mouth. Poor guy, I thought. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a Kleenex. Leaning down, I wrapped his mouth clean and then folded the tissue and placed it on his lap. Still, he didn't budge.

Once I was settled soundly in my seat, the stewardess instructed us about the safeties of flying on a plane, but I tuned her out. All I wanted to do was relax to some iTunes and read a nice long book. I put my head phones on and Madonna's "Hung up" rang through my ears. My backpack was propped between my legs, bulging with my prized possessions, my books. "Interview with a vampire" by Anne Rice was my number one choice, right next to "the half blood prince" by J.K. Rowling. I loved them, fantasy was my life. So far, I hadn't actually found a book called, "Sixth Sense for Dummies" so I stuck to the worlds of Lestat and Harry Potter.

I cracked my vampire book open and began to read. I was half way through the chapter when my ear drums popped and I knew we were lifting off.

The man next to me made a strange noise as he came back to life. "Are we flying yet?" the man groaned as he took the tissue from his lap and blew his nose. Great, I have to sit next to Mr. Gross for two hours.

"It appears so." I replied.

The man, I now noticed, was wearing a suit and tie. Maybe he was going on a business trip on California. I wanted to strike up conversation so I introduced myself.

"I'm Anna Johnson." I said, holding out my hand for him to shake.

While the man shook my hand, he said modestly, "My name is George Edward, CEO of Edward and Manson Enterprises." So, he was a business man. Wow.

"Well it is nice to meet you." I said smiling. George leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, falling asleep once again. Some CEO he was.

I turned my attention back to Lestat. I was deeply involved in the book, it was rightat the part when Lestat is about to take his first victim when…

"Hello there."I practically jumped out of my seat, I was so startled.

My heart beat quickened as I turned my head to see who was beside me. It was a boy, a guess he was about 3 years younger then I was, occupying the seat next to me. He looked pretty normal.

Well that is except for the fact that he was glowing.


	2. Welcome Home

**Well okay here's chapter 2. Another Disclaimer: Still, the characters from the book series (not yet mentioned) are not mine. Everyone else is and I can torture them how I please. But thanks for the reviews. Pleas people I got only a few hits. tear thats sad. If I'm gonna continue I need more encouragement to know people will read it. Anyway, read on and review!**

**JeSs

* * *

**

**Last Time on "Kiss of Light":**

While the man shook my hand, he said modestly, "My name is George Edward, CEO of Edward and Manson Enterprises." So, he was a business man. Wow.

"Well it is nice to meet you." I said smiling. George leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, falling asleep once again. Some CEO he was.

I turned my attention back to Lestat. I was deeply involved in the book, it was right at the part when Lestat is about to take his first victim when…

"Hello there." I practically jumped out of my seat, I was so startled.

My heart beat quickened as I turned my head to see who was beside me. It was a boy, a guess he was about 3 years younger then me, occupying the seat next to me. He looked pretty normal.

Well that is except for the fact that he was glowing.

**

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**Chapter two**

I looked around quickly, to make sure no one else could see him besides me. A stewardess with a cart of drinks came by. "What would you like, sweetie?" I waited for a moment to see if she were talking to the boy or to me. "Hello, did you hear me? Maybe if you turned your iPod down," yup, she was talking to me, and only me alright.

"I'll take a diet coke, thanks." She handed me the can with a cup and napkin on top and left without even asking the boy if he wanted anything.

So that cleared things up pretty nicely. Great, for two hours I'd be sitting next to ghost boy.

"You're pretty," he hummed as he stared at me. Oh please, give me a break. The boy was like thirteen and his hormones were soaring. This was going be a joy ride! Not.

He was blonde, like bleach blonde and he had pale skin to match. If I didn't know any better I would have thought he was an albino.

"Listen kid, Could you maybe just leave…" It was a little harsh I know, but I didn't feel like talking to dead people while I had to worry about getting sick on the plane. I hated heights.

"Leave? But I came all this way to talk to you…" He whined as he leaned closer to me. "You came just to see me? While that is truly flattering, I really don't know who you are…"

The boy gave a huge grin. "The name's Michael. What's your name?" he asked. I had to laugh, this kid just didn't seem to get the fact the a) he was thirteen and I was sixteen and b) he was dead! But I had to be polite.

"I'm Anna. Now, back to the fact that you're dead…" The boy's eyes widened. "I'm not dead," he said in a panicked voice.

I gave out a sigh. I'd never met a ghost who didn't know he was, well… dead yet. "But you must know. How else could I see you and no one else?" The boy's eyes filled with tears and his bottom lip quivered. "I'm not dead, I'm not!" My can of soda shook slightly and my chair jiggled.

"Calm down Michael, everything will be fine. You just have to figure out how you died." I reassured him. But he didn't seem to calm down. "I had everything, I wasn't supposed to die!" he screamed. My can fell over in George lap, spilling soda all over his new business suit.

"What the hell?" George shouted, awakened by the soda, now staining his outfit. "I'm so sorry Mr. Edward, I must have knocked my can over." I handed him my napkin as he tried to desperately clean the mess on his lap.

He mumbled some complaints but none that I could clearly make out.

I turned back to my little ghost friend, but found the seat next to me unoccupied. Poor kid, he was in for a rude awakening.

I pushed back my seat and took out my book once again that was now slightly damp with diet coke. I opened the book but found the pages were too wet to read. So, I placed it on the seat where Michael sat and decided to take a nap instead.

Luckily, I had brought a pillow with me so; I gently placed it behind my head and closed my eyes.

* * *

"_My darling," I leaned closer to my lover and sighed in his embrace. His arms were wrapped around my waist protectively and my own were around his neck. "Kiss me," I cooed. My lover looked down at me, smiling. "Not yet my love." He said simply._

_"But why not?" I said annoyance in my voice. "Because it isn't the right time, not yet." I frowned and pushed him away like a child. "Do you not love me?" I questioned. _

_"I love you more then anything my darling." He said, taking my hand. A pleasant shiver ran up my spin and a blush rose up my cheeks._

_"Then why don't you kiss me?"

* * *

_

"Passengers, we have reached our destination of Carmel, California, you are now allowed to remove your seat beats and move about. Thank you for choosing Delta airlines…" My eyes opened slowly. What a dream I'd had?

I looked to my left to see if ghost boy had returned but I guess he decided to figure out his afterlife, since he was still no where in sight. George too had left; maybe he really wanted to get off the plane or something.

I took my book and placed it in my backpack before zipping it up and swinging it over my shoulder. Everyone already seemed to be off the plane. Man I must have slept longer then I thought.

I walked past the front of the plane and waved goodbye to the stewardesses and the captain. "Thanks for flying," they all said simultaneously.

I walked out into an opening, looking up at the flashing signs. "Flight B16 from Fort McCone, Oklahoma, baggage pickup left" An arrow pointed to an escalator that lead down to the suitcase carousel. I spotted my military green suitcase at once and picked it up by the handle.

I hadn't seen my Uncle Mark since I was 8 when I was receiving my first holy communion. I wasn't sure how I'd recognize him. My mother said he stood out like a sore thumb but I didn't really know what she meant.

I found a nice bench and sat down, placing my suitcase beside me. Somewhere in my backpack I'd placed a photo of him but I couldn't remember where I could have put it.

"Miss Johnson?" I looked up suddenly and saw a young man in a black suit and a chauffeur's hat looking down at me through dark sunglasses. "Yes, that's me." I said standing up. The guy was good foot taller then I was.

"Well your Uncle Mark instructed me to come to the airport and pick up his lovely niece to bring her to his home. I'm assuming that would be you?" He lifted his sun glasses to get a better look at me.

"That's me alright, well except for the being lovely part." I grabbed my suitcase but the man quickly took it from me. "I highly doubt that miss." He smiled at me and lowered his sun glasses.

I felt my cheeks go red as we walked along, out of the air port. This air port was huge, not like the one back home. There had to be about a hundred terminals and about a million people boarding planes. "We're not in Kansas anymore Toto." I said looked up at the limousine that was, I predicted, my form of transportation.

"We are riding, in this?" I said, gaping. My driver nodded as he open my door.

I looked inside. It was huge! I'd never really ridden in a limo before and this one was… so cool! There was a DVD player, a refrigerator (which I later discover to contain champagne and some coke), nice leather seats and the piece of résistance, chocolate covered cherries.

I dove into the car like I little girl and popped a chocolate cherry into my mouth, letting the sweet liquid pour down my throat. My chauffeur chuckled at my actions and then closed the door. He walked slowly to the other side of the car, putting the keys in the ignition.

There was a small window separating us that, with a remote control could have been opened or closed. I decided to have some fun, so I took the remote and pressed the red button, making the window go up and down several times. I heard my driver sigh before he looked back at me and shook his head.

"What? Can't a girl have a little fun? It's my first time in a limo." The man laughed and went back to his driving.

I leaned forward and rested my arm against the window. "Say, what's your name anyway?" I had met a lot of people already during this trip and I found it better that _I _ask their name first.

"Eric." He answered, still facing traffic. Which might I mention was horrible!

"Oh like the prince from the Little Mermaid, cool." I fell back in my seat and looked up at the skylight window above me. A plane flew past me, reminding me of back home.

Finally after a long drive, the car stopped. Eric came around to my side of the car and opened my door once again. "Welcome to your new home."

Slowly I stepped out of the car, gazing up at the mansion I was going to spend the rest of my life in. I'm not kidding about the mansion thing, this place was huge. I was defiantly in for a culture shock. I mean, after living sixteen years on a farm. It looked like something I'd seen on Celebrity Homes on VH1.

"Shut up!" I said my jaw just about to fall of my face. Eric chuckled, closing the car door as he led me to the house.

As we neared the front door, it opened quickly. A man, in his mid forty's came toward us. He was wearing a Hawaiian T shirt and beige shorts. His hair was wild and was just as red as my hair. He too wore sun glasses like Eric.

"Anna! How good it is to see you! How was your flight?" I was a little shocked this man was speaking to me. I didn't recognize him at all. That was when I reached into my pocket and found the photo of Uncle Mark. This was him alright.

I smiled up at him as he came forward to hug me. "It was fine Uncle Mark." I said, a little nervously. "Please just call me Mark; uncle makes me sound too old." He said with a wide grin, showing off his pearly whites. He took my suitcase from Eric and placed his hand on my back. "Let us come inside. You must be exhausted." I didn't feel like telling my uncle that I wasn't tired. Besides, I did want to check out my new mansion of a home.

We stepped inside and I was in awe of everything. There were marble floors that I could practically see my reflection in. There were chandeliers everywhere you turned. And oh, did I mention that there weren't roofs, but windows that looked up at the beautiful sky above.

"Your house is amazing Un… I mean Mark." My uncle smiled at me as he looked proudly upon his house. "Yeah, it's pretty cool. I guess its better then my home in Japan but…" My jaw dropped. "You have another home… in Japan? What do you do?" I asked, referring to his job.

He only laughed. "I'm a big business man but the best thing about my job is I can work anywhere I want. Isn't that cool?" I looked up at my uncle. He was really more like a kid then an adult.

Mark moved his sun glasses to the top of his head and I saw his brown eyes for the first time. He was more like me then I thought.

"Well, let me show you your room," He said finally after a dead silence. I followed him up the stairs that, no doubt, led to my room. We reached the top of the stairs and I saw a hallway full of doors that lead to tons of rooms. This guy was completely and utterly rich!

"Here's your room Anna, I hope you like it. I had some of my maids design it for you." He slowly opened the door to the room that was closest to the stairs.

I stepped inside the room. The bed had to be like king sized and was draped with a beautiful blue canopy. The room itself was huge but the closet was about the size of my old bedroom in Oklahoma. It was all just amazing. The walls were painted to look like clouds in the sky and like the rest of the house; the ceiling was a window, looking up at the sky.

"Oh Mark, I don't know what to say… it's beautiful." I said as I placed my backpack down and fall back onto my bed. It was so soft and I just melted into it.

"I'm glad you like it. Dinner should be ready in an hour or so. I'll send one of my maid's up to wake you." I smiled up at him. "Thanks Mark!" I called as he closed the door.

I just laid there, motionless, smiling up at the clouds above me. "Nothing can get better then this." I said closing my eyes.

Then, I heard a knock at my door. Assuming it was Mark or one of his maids I said, "Come in!" The door opened and when I didn't hear my uncle voice I opened my eyes.

"Mark if this is something about my…" I looked up and saw a boy, tall, dark, handsome standing in my doorway.

"Hello Miss Johnson. Your uncle sent me up here to tell you dinner was ready." I felt my cheeks go red. This guy was… hot. He looked like a surfer I'd seen once on the cover of a magazine.

He was tan and had brown hair with beautiful hazel eyes. I shook my head, trying to return to normalcy. "Oh, thank you. Do you… work for my uncle?" I asked. The guy laughed, he laughed at me! As if I was some comedian.

"Well, you could say that. I'm some what of an apprentice of his." Apprentice, what exactly did my uncle do that would call for an apprentice? Maybe he was some what like Donald Trump.

"Oh I see. Tell him I'll be right down." I turned my back to him, taking off Jack's jean jacket and placing it on my new bed. I felt his eyes on me, my uncle's _apprentice _that is. I felt my blush return as I spun around.

"Shall we go?" he said, very gentlemanly. I smiled and walked out the door with him. He was wearing a silk t-shirt with black pants, both showing off his body very nicely. I looked down at his chest and swallowed hard.

"You alright Miss Johnson?" he asked, catching me looking at him.

"Anna." I said. He gave me a questionable look.

"I'd rather you call me Anna then _Miss Johnson._" I said imitating him.

He chuckled and placed his hand to my shoulder. I took in a quick in take of breathe and forced my eyes to meet his. "Alright, Anna then, you can call me Nicholas, or Nick for short." I liked the name. "Nick." I said, already enjoying his name roll off my tongue. Oh Anna, snap out of it! I just moved here and already you've got the hots for a guy you barely even know.

"Let us go then." he said. We glided down the stairs, well; Nick did, while I stumbled. He led me to a huge dinning room where my uncle was sitting, still dressed in Hawaiian attire. "Anna, sleep well?" He asked as I approached him.

"I did, thanks Mark." Nick pulled out a chair for me and modestly I sat down.

Maids started walking into the room with trays and trays of food. The first course was a soup that I assumed was a kind of chowder. It wasn't really my style but Mark and Nick seemed to be enjoying it. Next was salad which I ate up quickly. I'm bit of a vegetarian. You know, living all your life by animals, makes you kind of sour for meats.

Then the main course came, which was pasta. Thank god it wasn't turkey or something like that. It had some kind of tangy sauce which I really liked. It was sweet but spicy at the same time.

Once we had all eaten and I felt like I couldn't eat another bit, we moved into the living room, where I learned we'd be watching a movie. This was, as Mark explained later, a big tradition in his house hold. Ever Sunday night we would have to come here after dinner a watch a movie of his choice. It seemed fun enough.

I moved over to his leather couch and fell into the fabric. I wanted to just sit somewhere. Maybe I ate too much pasta.

Nick came into the room and sat close beside me. I felt like blushing but I forced my embarrassment back.

"Mark, what movie are we watching?" I asked curiously.

Mark was standing by the big screen TV trying to figure out the DVD player. "Oh, I chose 'the Sixth Sense' if that's alright with you." I laughed in spite of myself. The Sixth Sense was the story of my life.

After what seemed like an hour, Mark figured out the DVD player and "The Sixth Sense" began to play on the screen. I watched it, kind of amused at how M. Night Shyamalan interrupted seeing ghosts. He made several mistakes. One mistake was that usually the ghosts do not look the way they did when they died. Normally, they look well; they look the way they did when they were in the prime of their lives. Or that's what it seemed like to me.

And two was that most of the ghosts knew they were dead, with the exception of poor Michael.

I felt pretty tired toward the end of the movie. My head was leaned up against Nick's shoulder. I hadn't realized it but Nick hadn't protested. He seemed to like it.

I looked down at my watch and realized it was close to midnight. I sat up and asked if I could be excused. Mark, who was deeply involved in the movie nodded and wished me good night.

"I'll take you back to your room." Nick said politely, as he took my hand to lead me out of the dark room. Ok, so I blushed, I blushed because a guy was holding my hand. But thank god it was dark and Nick couldn't see my face. I mean, I could barely even see the outline of his figure.

He guided me out of the room and up the stairs, which also had no light to show the way.

I fell forward and stumbled against Nick's back. "I'm so sorry Nick. I guess I don't have too great of night vision." Nick chuckled. He had let go of my hand earlier and now I could see him groping for mine again. "I can't find your hand, can you find mine?" I reached forward and at once I felt the warmth radiating off his hand. I grabbed it tightly and we continued up the stairs.

"Here we are." Nick announced as he opened my door for me.

"Thank you, Nick." I said, reluctantly letting go of his hand. "The pleasure was all mine." He said and then he left. In my mind, he would have leaned forward and kissed me. I mean, what guy would turn this down, a girl alone in a dark room. Well I guess I was lucky anyway. Nick was hot and he seemed to like me. California wasn't so bad after all.

I closed my eyes, Smiling as I laid back down on my bed. I had gotten dressed into my Nightmare before Christmas's Jack Skeleton pajama shorts and a tank top. I had decided that I was going to make the best of this and I knew things could only get better.

Boy was I wrong.

I pulled my sheets over my body. The sheets were silky and they felt good against my cold body. I was surprised that the nights here were cold. It was defiantly not what I expected.

I closed my eyes again and lead on my back, thinking about what may lay ahead of me tomorrow.

That was when I felt it, a breath against my cheek. It wasn't really a breath, more of a chill. Something I'd felt right before I'd seen a… ghost.

I was afraid to open my eyes, to see what lay before me, but I had to. I opened one eye and then the other. At first I didn't see anything and then in the blink of an eye, he materialized in front of me, the ghost.

"Boo."


	3. I'm a What?

**AUTHOR NOTE: READ PLEASE**

**OMFG! Finally Another chapter. Sorry for the long wait, I've been pretty busy. If you've read my profile you'd have seen that I'm writting a joint fic with my friend Natasha as well as doing a requested X-men Fan Fic (which is in process as we speak or as I type I should say) Anyway, I guess the story is coming along. Finally we get to meet the mysterious ghost. And don't be fooled, its not Jesse. Please COMMENT**

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**_Chapter three_**

I screamed so loud, I think I could have woken up Mark's buddies in Japan. The ghost boy had me pinned down; one hand was on my arm while the other rose to cover my mouth.

I squirmed under his grasp and tried desperately to tare his hand away from my lips.

"Be still." The ghost said sternly, shushing me. I tried to kick him, well… let's just say where-it-hurts-the-most but he soon realized this and held me tighter. Struggling proved to be of no use since the guy was like King Kong strong.

So I relaxed my arms and legs, lying motionless beneath my capture's weight. Well, Ghosts don't really have weight but, I could feel him, I knew he was there so my imagination told me he must weigh something.

My eyes caught his dark pools of blue. They were mysterious and I found I couldn't look away.

"That's a good girl." The ghost said with a smirk. Slowly he let go of me and sat at the edge of my enormous bed. Now, I could see him a little better. He had dark brown hair, almost black. He wore, what looked to me like a cowboy's outfit, complete with an off white button down "puffy" shirt like you see in all those old western movies with a jacket over it. Then he wore cowboy pants and boots. His boots, I couldn't see too clearly because of the lack of light but I was almost positive they had spurs.

His arms and legs were firm, as well as his chest. I'd never met a ghost this… alluring before.

Just when I thought I wouldn't meet any guys that could compare to Jack in Carmel. And here I meet a hunk apprentice to my uncle, and this drop _dead _gorgeous cowboy.

The ghost got off my bed and made his way to my bedroom door. He must have heard foot steps outside. I mean, the house was huge; anybody could have heard my blood curdling scream.

He opened the door and peered out through the crack into the hallway. No one was there that I could see. So, he closed the door and made his way toward me. I grabbed my sheets and brought them up to my shoulders as I quivered in what I thought was fear.

"Must you be so loud when you scream?" he said, reaching up his hand to meet his forehead. He looked familiar somehow but I knew I'd never have met him while he was alive.

"Must you wake a girl in the middle of the night without warning?" I barked back trying not to seem so frightened.

The ghost only smiled down at me and chuckled. "Why, you are different then most girls here, aren't you?" I didn't know if I was meant to take his remark as an insult or something more faltering.

"What do you mean… different?" I asked, sitting up straight against my pillow.

"I mean, you aren't like other girls I've met from this century. For one thing, you are the first woman who's been able to see me since I died." Well, I guess that did make me different, in a big way huh?

"I see." I said nodding.

The ghost worked his way closer to me. "You act as if you've never seen a ghost before. And I highly doubt that." He said chuckling. "I most certainly have seen ghosts before you, tons actually." I said, finding bravery at last. "Then why is it that your hands are shaking?" he commented, looking down at my quivering hands that held the silk blankets up to my chin.

I had to think up an excuse, I couldn't just tell him he frightened me out of my skin. Yet, I sort of enjoyed the feeling. "I'm cold." I said, pulling the sheets over my head blocking out the vision of his dark eyes studying me. I'm such a child sometimes!

"Oh, I'm just having a little fun." I felt pressure on my bed, he was crawling toward me. I felt his knees beside my legs and his hands lock me beneath him. Was he trying to tease me or was he trying to scare me more. I didn't know if ghosts feed on fear but this one had to!

"Come out and play." He whispered slyly against the silk. A chill ran up my spin but this time it wasn't from the cold.

I refused to come out, I ignored his offer and I breathed heavily beneath the comfort of my bed sheets trying to forget the fact that he was right above me, staring down at me. Eventually, I heard my visitor give out a frustrated sigh and then the weight of his knees and hands vanished.

I waited for a moment more before bringing the sheets down. He had in fact dematerialized, leaving me with goose bumps all over my body. I moved onto my side and closed my eyes. It would be a true miracle if I ever fell to sleep.

Well, Mark Randler's household had had its first miracle. For the next thing I knew, All- American Rejects' "Move along" was coming through my new clock radio, alerting me to wake up. I grabbed my clock; it was 6:30 already! I had to be in the administrative office of my new school by 7. I tore out of my bed sheets and ran to my suitcase whish I had been too lazy to unpack. The only think I had managed to set up was my purse- Backpack.

I found a pair of kaki pants and a tank top that read "Fort McCone Oklahoma, County fair 2005" in big read letters. It was lame but it was the only thing I thought of packing on short notice.

I looked at my auburn hair in shock. It was actually pretty calm this morning and in a few minutes I got it to actually look… halfway sexy. Score one for Anna! Usually, I never considered anything about myself… well… sexy. Okay so maybe I was told my curves were to die for but my eyes were brown, not a beautiful color like emerald green or sky blue. My hair was a disaster all together. It wasn't brown and it wasn't completely red either. It was more of a flaming auburn which I disgusted. I wanted blonde or even brunette but I got auburn.

I heard Mark's voice in the distance and I quickly hurried to put on a bit of makeup (eye liner and gloss) and then I opened my door, only to find a maid just about ready to knock.

"Oh Miss. Johnson, I'm sorry, I'll come later if you are busy." She began to retreat but I stopped her.

"It's alright, what did you need?" I asked, readjusting my backpack. "I was sent to clean up in your room." She said, modestly.

I turned to my room and saw that it wasn't in much of a mess but my personal items were spread everywhere, like my diary.

"Oh, don't worry about it, I'll clean up later." I said as I closed the door and headed down stairs.

"Alright Miss Johnson." She called after me. I sighed. "Please call me Anna." I said waving good bye to her. Really why did everyone call me Miss? It got annoying.

I walked down the stairs and toward the front door. I was prepared for a greeting from my uncle waiting to drive me to school like my father often did to me on my first day but instead I found Eric awaiting me outside.

Of course, I just _had _to ride a limo on my first day to school. I didn't want people to just think of me and say "Look it's that girl that rode in the limo this morning," or "maybe that girls is rich". I hated people like that. But it was to be expected, no doubt.

"So Anna, are you excited?" Eric asked as we sped down the street toward my new school. I sighed, leaning back against the leather seats. "If you call this excited, then sure." She said with no enthusiasm what-so-ever in her voice. Eric laughed in front of me at the stirring wheel. He turned the corner and asked if I'd like any music. I nodded and he turned on a pop station playing Kelly Clarkson.

He took my backpack on my lap and dug through its contents to find my pictures from home I'd shoved in there before I'd left.

They had wrinkled at the edges but I didn't care. I found one picture of my best friend Amanda. She was just perfect in everyway, blonde, blue eyed. I really didn't know why she hanged out with me but whenever I'd ask she'd say "Don't be silly Anna, you know I'd be lost without you." But that was a lie because I think she's be better off if I wasn't there. So moving to California was a good thing in a way for her. Without me there she'd get more attention, the attention she deserved.

I mean she was a cheerleader and everyone liked her. But no one really understood why she chose to be my friend. I was Anna, the girl labeled to talk to walls. Okay, I made one mistake of talking to a ghost while people were around. It's the price to pay when you have my "gift". Don't get me wrong, it's not like people didn't like me, because they did. I did have a lot of friends. But still… I heard them whispering, asking each other why I was so different. But they would never know. I lived in a lie.

"Ok Kid, we're here, Junipero Serra Mission Academy."

Eric parked the car and came around to open my door for me. Slowly I stepped out of the car, staring up at the red dome of a school. "Wow, this… this is a school?" Eric chuckled as he closed the door behind me. "Yes, but it used to be a Christian mission. Here Anna I'll show you to the principal's office."

They walked together toward the front entrance. Some kids were still coming into the school, books in their hands, backpacks hung over their shoulders. A boy and a girl, freshman I guess, stopped to stare at her, pointing. See, I was already labeled as a kid who was filthy rich. Well, I guess that better then the girl who talks to walls.

We walked into the adobe building and found myself in a trance. There were like double as many kids here then my old school.

"Come this way, Anna." Eric said putting his hand on my back to lead me to the principal's office. We waked into the main office where I saw a boy sitting down in a chair.

"Just sit down for a moment Anna, I'll tell them you're here." I nodded as I watched Eric leave into the office.

"You new?" I turned my head and looked at the boy next to me. He was chewing a piece of gum, kind of the way a cow might eat grass. I felt the shy Anna over power the confident one as I sat down in the chair beside him. I wanted to say, "Yes I'm Anna, want to be friends?" but all I could do was nod.

"That's cool, Mission's alright once you get used to all the nuns and the crucifix's glaring at you everywhere." I giggled silently and looked up at a crucifix that hung across from me on the wall. "That wasn't always there. There used to be a huge cross there but it fell and almost crushed a student as well as the principal. Too bad it missed them." Gee, this kid was daring to say stuff like that in a principal's office. I'd never even think of doing something like that.

"Anna, the principal's just inside here; I'll pick you up later. Call me or your uncle if you need us." Eric waved as he left the office.

The door to the office opened and a man walked out, he was a priest, I could see and didn't look half bad for an old man. Well not that it made a difference what he looked like but he had grayed hair and a kind face. He seemed like someone I could get along with.

"I assume you are Anna Johnson. Please come in." He said with a gentle smile. I could help but smile back as I left my chair and the boy behind to enter his office. "I'll deal with you later Mr. McTavish." My new principal said, talking to the boy before he closed his office door.

"Have a sit Miss Johnson, make yourself at home." He said. I looked around his room. It was small but for cozy. There was a small basket of toy in the corner, I assumed they had been confiscated by the younger grade teachers here at the school but you never know.

"Anna, I see you came all this way from Oklahoma." She looked a little confused but then remembered her county fair tank. "Oh, yes." She said blushing from her own forgetfulness. "I also see that you were an A+ student. That is very good Miss Johnson." He said looking through a folder of papers. "Yes, I try to work very hard." The principal smiled. "Well I don't see a problem in having you here at Mission Academy. Oh, how rude of me, I'm Father Dominic, your new principal." He said reached out his hand. I took it gladly. "It's very nice to meet you Father." I said.

"Here, let me find you your schedule and then maybe I can get someone to show you around." He pushed out his chair and then walked to his cabinet drawers, looking through many folders. "It has to be somewhere…" I gasped.

Right above him was a ghost. It was a girl, freshman, with long black hair. She looked at Father Dominic and then at me. "What are you looking at?" she said in a harsh voice. "I…I… I'm sorry." I said, my heart still pounding from the surprise.

"Did you say something Anna?" Father Dominic asked. I thought of an excuse a little too quickly. "I said I was sorry for just… um... Spilling some of my hand sanitizer on your desk." I took of my hand sanitizer and quickly applied it to my hands.

Father Dominic looked up at the ghost girl and smiled. Could he… did he… see her? He closed the cabinet and handed me a piece of paper.

"Here's your schedule." He said. I looked up at the ghost girl again in shock. She laughed. "You didn't know? How sad… Father Dominic can see me too stupid." She said before dematerializing.

I turned my attention back at my principal. "You can… you can see them too?" I asked, my eyes widening. "See who Anna?" he said smiling. "See the dead people…" Father Dominic looked shocked for a second then a wave of happiness washed over his face.

He looked to see if his door was locked and then he looked back at me. "How splendid it is to have another Mediator here at our dear Mission Academy!" he said with a big smile. "A… what Father Dominic?" I asked, raising my eye brows. "Don't tell me you never knew what our proper title is? Well, that alright. People who have the gift to see the deceased are called Mediators. I am a Mediator as well." He said proudly.

"But I thought I was…" "The only one, yes I felt that way too at first, but there are others, many actually. If you'd like you can come to my office after school and I'll explain to you everything I know about our skills." I was still in sock but in awe that I'd finally found someone who was like me. I was so different after all.

Then there came a knock at the door.

"Father Dominic? I'm here for the interview…" The door opened and a girl with pale skin walked in. She was albino, I assumed with her pale blonder hair and her purple eyes.

"Oh I didn't know you had someone in here. I'll leave." She said retreating outside. "No it's alright Miss Webb. You'll have to give me my interview later. But since you're here, would you mind showing Anna here to her first class." The girl smiled and nodded toward Father Dominic. "Sure thing."

I got up form the chair I had been sitting in and walked toward the girl. She had a pencil tucked behind her ear and a notepad in her hand. She did really look like a reporter. Like Albino Louis Lane, I thought to myself.

"So, is this your first day at Mission?" I nodded as we walked out of his office.

"Adam? You're here again? How many times must I…" the girl said, shaking her head at the boy I'd spoken to before. "Hey, its not my fault the school has it in for me." he said giving her a little wink as he stepped into the office to talk to Father Dominic. The girl blushed and her smile widened.

"Your boyfriend I presume?" I said all knowingly. She laughed. "I guess you could say that."

We walked out into the hallway and I was suddenly surrounded by teens. I hadn't heard a bell, how strange.

"I never got your first name…" I said after a moment of silence. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "It's CeeCee. Your name's Anna right?" I nodded. "So you're like a reporter here?" CeeCee nodded. "Yup, are you into that sort of thing?" she asked. I laughed a little. Me, a new reporter, ha! "No, definitely not me, I prefer poetry." CeeCee gave me an understanding smile, even though I could see she would prefer the news over the world.

"CeeCee!" We both turned. A girl was calling and running toward us. She had Chestnut hair that she had straightened, obviously, and wore all so stylish clothes. How I wished I was like her.

She saw me and our eyes caught. It was as if we were sisters lost in the tide of souls. "Hey Suze, what's up?" CeeCee said breaking the silence. The girl, I now knew as Suze, shook her head, as if breaking from her trance. "Just wanted to see if we'd walk to Chemistry together but it seems you're busy…" she said nodding toward me. "Oh, sorry, this is Anna Johnson. She just moved here… right?" CeeCee said looking at me. I laughed. "Yup, Oklahoma was just too… ugh." I said casually. After I'd said it, a blush rose up my cheeks. I was way too casual with them. The shy Anna came back and hid her face.

"Well Anna of Oklahoma, nice to meet you, I'm Susannah Simon but please don't call me Susannah. Just Suze is fine." I smiled. It was actually nice to know people were seemingly willing to be her friend.

"Well we'd better go, your class starts in like five minutes. Meet us in the usual spot at lunch Suze." CeeCee yelled as we started again for my class.

"She seems really nice." I commented. "Yup, she was new too, last year. She moved here from New York." Wow, we did have some things in common. Well, not that New York thing but we both moved to California. I wonder why she had to move. My reasons were too complicated to explain to anyway, so, what would I say. Maybe that my family thought I'd have more of a chance to publish my poetry here then in our small little town. Was that good enough?

Then my thoughts were interrupted when something struck me, like lightening. Father Dominic, he said I was a mediator. A mediator… the term was so familiar yet so foreign. But it felt perfect, it fit. It melded into me like it had belonged there all along. But, could he be right? There were many others like us? I wasn't crazy, I wasn't alone. I was only part of something much bigger.

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**Another chapter WILL NOT be up for quite a while, sorry**

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